Judge lifts Bridgeport Police Department oversight

Bridgeport granted chance to end 25 years of oversight

By Michael P. Mayko
ConnPost STAFF WRITER
Updated: 03/13/2009 10:07:41 PM EDT

Judge lifts Bridgeport Police Department oversight - Topix

NEW HAVEN -- A federal judge penned the beginning of the end of more than 25 years of court oversight of the Bridgeport Police Department when she granted it autonomy for the next 18 months.

In a five-page order released Friday, U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton ended a required rotation of police officers through the city's geographic areas every 12 months, returned authority to hear and rule on complaints of racial discrimination and harassment to the chief, returned the appeal process to the Board of Police Commissioners and allowed the city to hire an assistant chief.

The judge also gave the police chief power to appoint half the staff of all specialized units -- such as K-9, Mounted Patrol, Tactical Narcotics Team, Emergency Services and Scuba -- on qualifications beyond seniority

But out of caution, Arterton ordered Bridgeport and the Bridgeport Guardians, a group of black police officers, to jointly file a report on June 12 summarizing the progress of her order.

Additionally, the judge told both sides that on Sept. 1, 2010, she will review the steps taken to determine if the 1983 order designed to eliminate widespread discrimination in the department should be vacated.

"The Guardians believe this is a good first step toward determining if the Bridgeport Police Department can govern itself and treat its black police officers fairly," said Antonio Ponvert III, a lawyer with Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder, a Bridgeport law firm that brought the discrimination case back in 1978.

But Ponvert warned "this does not end judicial oversight but, in fact, puts the department under even more scrutiny." He said any missteps between now and Sept. 1, 2010, would put the order back into "full force," resulting in "many, many more years of litigation."

But Mayor Bill Finch vowed the city "will continue our efforts to make sure all Bridgeport police officers are treated fairly and evenly."

For now, Arterton removed several of the requirements the late U.S. District Judge T.F. Gilroy Daly put in place following a 1981 trial. Daly determined black officers in Bridgeport were disciplined more harshly, assigned to crime-ridden areas and rarely promoted or placed in specialized units.

Ted Meekins, a retired police officer and now president of the East End Community Council, was a plaintiff in that case. He experienced harsh suspensions, many of which he felt were in retaliation for helping bring the suit.

"It's unfortunate, but we did what we had to do," he said Friday. "I hope the city and its Police Department have learned from this experience. Today, we've got more black, Hispanic and female officers, and I think we've all grown and learned from this."

In the last decade, Finch points out the city hired two black police chiefs and promoted a Hispanic officer to acting chief.

"Judge Arterton has given us the opportunity to show we can handle our own business," said Sgt. William Ronald Bailey, the Guardians' president who also brought discrimination complaints. "Acting Chief (Joseph L.) Gaudette has met with us and knows what needs to be done."

The required annual rotation of police officers impacted the ability of officers to forge relationships in neighborhoods they worked, according to Gaudette and Associate City Attorney Arthur Laske III.

"The required rotation goes against every rule of community policing," Laske said. "The department can now deploy its officers as needed."

For the past 25 years, the court vested William Clendenen, a New Haven lawyer, with the authority to investigate, hear and rule on complaints involving racial discrimination and harassment lodged by black officers. While Clendenen will retain control of the roughly dozen pending cases, Arterton returned authority of any future cases to Gaudette and the Police Commission for at least the next 18 months.

This, according to Finch, will enable the city to save the money it has been paying Clendenen for his work.

Under Arterton's ruling, the city must pay $300,000 within 90 days to Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder. Previously, the firm said it will use the money to recruit, train, mentor and tutor black officers.

Arterton also ordered Bridgeport to allocate $300,000 in six annual installments of $50,000 to recruit minority and females police officers.

"This represents a new day for the city and its Police Department," Laske said. "It will create a better environment for police officers to work and should improve the quality of the Police Department."

In a separate 25-page ruling, Arterton declined to allow eight Bridgeport police officers seeking promotion to detective and a white civilian seeking an entry level position to intervene in the matter. All opposed the interim order.